Weapon properties
Each weapon has a number of properties that determines how it functions in battle. These properties are listed in the weapon's description. __TOC__ Melee Weapons Melee weapons deal damage at close range. There are seven categories of melee weapons; most use your Strength to determine your proficiency. All melee weapons use your Strength modifier to determine their melee damage bonus. Reach Some melee weapons have the reach property. These weapons can perform attacks against creatures that are not adjacent. The number after the weapon's reach property indicates the number of additional paces that the attack can reach into. Melee weapons which do not have the reach property may only attack adjacent creatures. Ranged Weapons Ranged weapons are used to make ranged weapon attacks. There are four categories of ranged weapons; all use your Dexterity to determine your proficiency and ranged damage bonus. Range All ranged weapons have a range, which is listed as a pair of numbers separated by a slash. The first number is the weapon's short range - attacks can be made against targets this many paces away without penalty. Attacks made against creatures further away suffer a -2 range penalty, out to a maximum range equal to the number after the slash. Size Weapons can be one of several sizes. Off-Hand Off-hand weapons are small and nimble enough to be wielded as your character's secondary weapon, while you are wielding another weapon or holding another object in your main hand. One-Handed One-handed weapons must be wielded in your main hand, but do not require your off-hand at all. Versatile Versatile weapons may be wielded one-handed or two-handed. When wielded two-handed, a versatile melee weapon gains +1 to damage for each weapon damage die that is rolled. Versatile ranged weapons also exist, which may be wielded one-handed or two-handed, but suffer a -1 penalty to accuracy when wielded one-handed. Small creatures must wield versatile weapons as if they were two-handed weapons, and gain no bonus for doing so. Two-Handed A two-handed weapon must be wielded in both hands. Small creatures may not wield two-handed weapons unless they also have the 'small' property. Using Two Weapons When you wield a single weapon, that weapon is considered your main weapon. If you wield two weapons, the larger is considered your main weapon, and the smaller is considered your secondary weapon. If both weapons are the same size, you may choose which is your main weapon and which is your secondary weapon. Damage Weapons deal one of three damage types: slashing, piercing, and bashing. A weapon's base damage is determined by a die roll - weapons may deal a D4, D6, D8, D10, or D12 damage. When an action block refers to a weapon's damage die, it will use the code 1dW - this means to roll the weapon's damage die and use that number as the weapon's damage. Some actions will deal additional damage - this will be listed as 2dW or 3dW or more. Roll a number of the weapon's dice equal to the number listed before the 'dW', and add them together. Weapons also deal additional damage based on your melee damage bonus, which is equal to your Strength modifier, or your ranged damage bonus, which is equal to your Dexterity modifier. When you deal damage with a weapon, roll the weapon's damage die and add your melee or ranged damage bonus to the result. Slashing Weapons Slashing weapons deal damage through large, rending wounds, and thus typically deal higher damage than piercing or bashing weapons, but are less effective against heavy armor. Bashing Weapons Bashing weapons deal damage through blunt trauma. While they deal less damage to characters in heavy armor, they often ignore the armor's defense bonus. Piercing Weapons Piercing weapons typically make small, deep wounds which bleed heavily. They deal full damage to characters in heavy armor, but typically deal slightly less damage overall. Other Properties Swift A swift weapon may be used to make an attack as an immediate action. Load Free A load free weapon uses ammunition. After each shot, it must be reloaded as a free action before it may be fired again. Load Immediate A load immediate weapon uses ammunition. After each shot, it must be reloaded as an immediate action before it may be fired again. Load Move A load move weapon uses ammunition. After each shot, it must be reloaded as a move action before it may be fired again. Load Standard A load free weapon uses ammunition. After each shot, it must be reloaded as a standard action before it may be fired again.